Moving on to the newest Tigers, Spotlight: LSU Basketball features freshman guard Tim Quarterman. Quarterman is the epitome of Coach Jones' evolution of the LSU program. At 6'5" and arms that stretch farther than that, Tim Quarterman is athletic, agile, and long. Seven inches taller than starting PG Anthony Hickey, Quarterman brings length to a back-court that has been plagued with sub six foot players for years.

Tim has been one of the loudest players in pre-season practice, garnering praise from Coach Jones every time he sits in front of a mic. Despite being a freshman, Coach already says Quarterman may be their best perimeter defender, a skill that normally takes a couple college seasons to develop. He has plus ball handling skills as well as a solid basketball IQ. He defines himself as less aggressive than Hickey to create his own shot, however, he is able to get the other four players on the court involved with relative ease.

While he still has work to do on his jump shot, his athletic ability is truly remarkable, and LSU is very excited to have someone with Quarterman's length guarding point guards to set the tone of the defense.

At this point, you'd have to expect Tim to come off the bench. However, he brings so much defensive promise that he could be called upon quickly and often to guard elite PG's. He is similar to Hickey in his ability to get into passing lanes and uses his wingspan to deflect balls constantly, but more importantly than just steals, he looks to put a hand in the face of shooters. While LSU was able to force turnovers, they were only 7th in FG% defense and last in blocked shots. Quarterman, along with other newcomers, look to improve the defense.

Coach Jones expects to play Quarterman exclusively at PG, however if there is a taller player getting shots off at SG, I would expect Tim to be available to move into a SG position. Furthermore, the addition of Quarterman will help keep Andre Stringer off ball in his more natural position. Tim Quarterman has the ability to bring intensity to a defense that feeds off pressure, making him an integral part of this year's squad.

Filed Under: LSU Basketball